I don't go to bed. I want to see him, even though I'm so nervous it's making me want to barf. Morino-sama went to bed early, so it's safe for me to check his room. I glance over my shoulders from my position in the hallway, just outside the kitchen, where I abandoned Jared. No one's following me. I turn and silently make my way to the staircase.

I barge into his room, swinging the door open. My eyes quickly scan for signs of life. Nothing. I frown. Where is he? It's getting late. I press my lips together and dash down the hall. The upstairs bathroom door is open and empty, so I change course and check the hallways and the office. I know he won't be in the kitchen…

Outside? Seems unlikely, but who knows? I almost love the idea. The night, Ryoshi, and me— Ugh, I'm embarrassed just thinking about this stuff…

I jog downstairs two steps at a time, my maid uniform skirt held up above my ankles so I won't trip. When I reach the back door, I open it—

But a familiar boyish voice interrupts me from behind.

"What the—?! Sweetheart! Where're you going? I thought you said you w—"

"Argh! For Christ's sakes, Jared!" I whip around angrily to see his confused face. My heart pounds from the shock of his unexpected arrival.

"Shut up. I'm trying to… d—do something here!"

"You're gonna meet up with him, right." Jared says flatly. I smack myself in the face.

"Shhhh!" I hiss, waving my arms. "You didn't see this, you got it?" I reach for the door again… and recheck over my shoulder.

He's still standing there. I clear my throat with a scowl.

"What, Jared?"

He puffs out his cheeks like a scolded little kid. Which he is, basically.

"…Can I come too?" he asks hopefully.

I stare at him until he begins to twitch. Finally I sigh at him, hands on my hips.

"…Fine… but only because it will look good if all three of us are caught together, instead of just me and him," I grumble.

"Alright! Score!" Jared pumps his fist.

"But shut up until I find him."

"Jeez. Shutting up."

The night air is chilly, but sort of refreshing. He could be anywhere out here.

Jared and I dance around the edges of the pool carefully. Jeez, I almost fell in that thing… I forgot he even had a pool. Too bad it's too cold to swim.

I gaze up at the dark sky. The stars are hidden tonight. The grass rustles under my black flats with every step I take, breaking the silence. I wonder where all the crickets are? Usually there's a lot in the country places.

I wish Ryoshi were with me. I have something to tell him, after all, and this is a pretty good atmosphere to—

I halt abruptly. I see Ryoshi, up ahead. With that girl. My blood boils, even as my heart cringes in worry, and I struggle to ignore the urge to cry. I'm not about to do that. Even Capulet-san has some dignity.

"Duuuuude," whispers Jared. "She's creeping on your man over there."

"I noticed!" I snap, then shake my head. "Get over here."

"We're gonna follow them?"

I grunt in confirmation, blushing.

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"So, Ryoshi-kun, what's life been like?"
Ryoshi, at the highly urged recommendation of his mother (read: FORCED), is walking Amaterasu around the grounds. The sun has set, but the sky is a light black, not quite as dark as it usually is, most likely due to the gray clouds pervading the sky. Not a very beautiful night. But if I were with Ryoko, it would be the most beautiful night I've ever seen.

"Not running around with any girls while I was away, were you?" Amaterasu giggles, crashing his train of thought. Well, not exactly, but yeah, he thinks. Instead he laughs awkwardly and mutters something non-committal.

"What about you, Amaterasu? Err, what have you been doing?"

"Oh, please. It's just Tera. And nothing, really—school's so dull. Are you happy to be back? I heard those Otogi Academy kids are pretty weird."

Ryoshi almost denies it… but then everything that's happened for the past six months shuts him up.

"I guess so… but they're all great. I really miss my fri—"

"Yeah, I'm so sure. No girlfriend though, right?"

Technically, saying he did would be a lie. But what difference did it really make? Ryoko didn't love him (or did she? His heart pounded at the question), but he loved her, and he wasn't going to look at other girls. Since he wasn't interested in anyone but Ryoko, Ryoshi made it easy on himself.

"Not… not actually, but… I really love this one girl, R—"

"Are you guys having a nice walk?" Ryoshi's mother leans out her second floor bedroom window, looking down at them. Why do all the women in my life keep interrupting me?

"Yup!" shouts Amaterasu.

"Sounds great! Ryoshi, it's dark. Make sure she's in by twelve at the latest."

Ryoshi opens his mouth, only to be re-cut off by Amaterasu.

"'Kay, Morino-san! Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, dear." She shuts her windows with a resonating click!

"It's pretty late… Do you wanna head back?"

"Nah. I mean, unless you want to."

Thank goodness. "Well, I am a little tired, so—"

"OMG is that a pool?!" Amaterasu grabs his wrist and drags his unmercifully over to the pool. Ow! Who knew someone that small could be so painful… Ryoshi rubs his wrist.

"Yeah, we got it a few…" Ryoshi trails off… He sees something move, just out of the corner of his eye. He turns to look closer into the little trees lined up against the house, but Amaterasu has already grabbed his hand again.

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"Ouch! Jared, quit stepping on me…!"

"I know, I know—these bushes are crowding me, that's all," he mutters painfully. "And they have thorns!"

"Hey! You wanted to come…"

"Ugh."

"Same." I peek through the leaves at the two of them. She's… holding his hand? I clench the branch my hand is on, stabbing myself with the thorns.

"Ow!" I gasp. Ryoshi jerks his head in my direction, and I hold my breath. Finally, he looks away. That was too close.

"How long are we going to stand here?"

"Until... until they go in, I guess."

"UGGGGGG."

"SHHHH!"

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"Listen, Amaterasu…" Ryoshi says firmly, pulling away from her touch. "We can't hold hands or anything. I have someone I love and I only want to hold hands with her. I hope you understand."

Amaterasu's adorable face crumbles. "Y—you don't like me?"

Ryoshi winces. "Tera, you're really nice and all! But even if I didn't have someone else, we just met today. I really can't—"

"You're a jerk, y'know!" she accuses him, pulling away. "You tell me you don't have a girlfriend, and then you just lead me on?!"

"Amaterasu, I tried to t—"

"Don't interrupt me!"

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"Whoa, something's going on…" Jared nudges me.

I move over to his line of sight. A clear view of Amaterasu squealing her little head off at Ryoshi causes me to shove Jared out of the way.

"You're telling me," I mutter incredulously. Jared and peer into the open of the bush. I can hear Amaterasu.

"I think you lied! If you don't have a girlfriend, then who cares?!" Amaterasu shouts animatedly.

"She is my girlfriend, basically—well… sort of… maybe." Ryoshi admits. "But that's not the point. I'm not in love with you. That's pretty much all there is to it."

Jared flashes me a triumphant smile, and I blush and overt my eyes.

"Tch. Well, fine." Amaterasu says, after a moment of silence. "I mean, that's lame. But to be honest, I'm definitely not in love with you either. You're just really cute. But so are a lot of boys. Pretty expendable." She shrugs, and suddenly, I get annoyed. So now that Ryoshi doesn't want her, he doesn't mean anything?!

"I mean," She continues, "There's a million more of you. But there's only one of me!" She grins condescendingly. I grit my teeth, and feel Jared's worried gaze on my shoulders.

"So have fun with your little girlfriend. She probably can't stand you though, just a word to the wise. I mean, if she cared, you'd be with her… right? What a tease."

I frown, not only because I hate Amaterasu's freaking guts, but because part of me wonders… is she right? I let Ryoshi get so close to me, but then I jerk away before we can become anything real. All I do is hurt him, because I'm screwed up, with my trust issues and my anger and my violent words and punches. That's all I've done. And it isn't fair.

Doesn't Ryoshi deserve someone who can actually return his feelings, as much as he gives them? Doesn't he… doesn't he deserve someone… someone better than me? All I've done is stomp all over him.
I turn to Jared, before I can do anything stupid, like cry or something. I grab his wrist, so he knows that it's time to go. Jared shakes his head rapidly, just as Ryoshi's voice sounds from the yard.

"She is not a tease."

Ryoshi's voice is always gentle and kind. I've only heard him yell during fights. Technically, he's not yelling now. However, there's an icy hardness in his voice that takes even Amaterasu aback.

"You don't get it at all," he says coldly. "She is a warm, caring person. She might not act like it all the time, but that doesn't make any difference. Not to me. And you can't comment on someone you've never even met. I'm not going to just let you talk about her like that."

"W-whatever," Amaterasu mutters defiantly, not meeting his gaze. "You're the one stuck. But if you wanna spend your life pining after someone who isn't gonna return it, be my guest. You've got to be pretty dumb to be interested in that. I mean, come on," she scoffs, "Give it up already!"

Before I know what I'm doing, I shove the leaves out of my way, scratching my hands in the process. Ryoshi and Amaterasu's faces freeze in shock.

"Y'know, you should mind your own damn business," I spit. Amaterasu stares, before replying abruptly,

"Says the girl who was hiding in the bushes! Who are you, anyways? What's up with the maid clothes?! And is… is there a guy back there!?"

"Hi!" Jared sticks a hand through the bushes and waves it.

"Ryoko! What are you doing here?" Ryoshi steps over to me like he doesn't know if he should touch me or not. I meet his gaze head on. His eyes are a deep green in the light of the pool lamps.

"Defending you, you screw up!" I exclaim. "And you—Ama-terrible, or whatever your name is—you owe him an apology. Give him one or else."

"Listen, you servant! Don't tell me what to do. You don't know anything!"

"You don't know anything, you little b—!"

"Ryoko, it's okay," Ryoshi assures me.

"N—no. It's not okay… You shouldn't be told that you're stupid!" I shout.

Ryoshi stares. I take a deep breath and face Amaterasu.

"You should leave."

"What?!" she gasps. "Could someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?!"

"I know some stuff!" Jared says hopefully, emerging clumsily from the trees. "Come walk with me and I'll fill you in?"

Amaterasu frowns at Ryoshi and I. "This isn't over!" She promises, before joining Jared.